Dieing machine



Dec. 23, w41. c. F. SHERMAN DIEING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l ec. 23,@941. c. F. SHERMAN DIEING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 23, 1941. C, F SHERMAN 2,266,997

DIEING MACHINE Filed July 6, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UHTED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIEING MACHINE Connecticut Application July 6, 1940, Serial No. 344,246

28 Claims.

My invention relates to dieing machines more especially equipped for producing links for machine gun belts, and an object of my invention, among others, is a machine of this type for rapidly producing such links in an efficient and economical manner and which utilizes a minimum amount'of stock, thereby effecting a saving in this respect.

One form of a machine embodying my invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a die holder and parts mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is an end view of the same and including a portion of the punches.

' type the punch being secured to a punch holder Figure 3 is a side view looking from the left in Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 6 4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Figure 6 is a view on enlarged scale in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a similar view on a plane denoted by the broken line 'I--l of Fig. 1.

Figure 8 is another similar view in section on a plane denoted by the broken line 8-8 of Fig, 1.

Figure 9 is a perspective View illustrating the progressive movements of the blanks during formation by the punches and dies, the latter being omitted.

In the accompanying drawings the numeral 8 denotes the die holder of my improved machine which holder it will be understood is mounted on a bolster or bed in a manner common to machines of thisl type. A cam shaft 9 is suitably mounted in bearings Ill-II upon the die holder 8 and is 40 driven by means of a gear I2 meshed with a driving gear I3, the latter being driven from any suitable source of power as a connection with the crank shaft in the lower part of the machine.

A guide block I4 is supported upon the die holder 8 and a blanking die I5 is mounted upon the guide block as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A stripper plate I6 is secured atop the die I5 in a manner common to structures of this type.

AA feed slide I1 is mounted for reciprocating sliding movement upon the guide block as between gibs I8 and a feed finger plate I9 is secured to the fed slide and has feed fingers spaced apart and projecting from the inner edge of said feed 25 mounted for vertical'reciprocating movement ina manner not herein shown but which will be readily understood by'those skilled in the art. The punch operates to cut a blank 26y from the strip 23 and in the embodiment shown herein forces it through the die I6 into a guide groove 21 in the guide block I4 and into the path of the feed fingers 20 by means of which the blanks 26 are passed along the groove underneath the die I5 to a position to be hereinafter described.

A forming die 28 is mounted upon the die holder 8, this die having a pair of rounded forms 29-30 spaced apart on its top, these forms merging into side forms 3I on the sides of the top of the die. Sliding formers 32 are mounted for sliding movement upon the die holder 8, these formers being spring pressed apart as shown in Fig. 7. They have recesses 33 to engage opposite sides of the blank upon the die 28. A plunger 34 supported on the punch holder 25 has recesses cooperating with the rounded forms 251-30, said plunger and sliding formers cooperating to impart a preliminary form to the blanks, as shown in Fig. 7. The sliding formers 32 and the plunger 34 are so relatively timed in their movements that the recesses 35 in the plunger engage the blank upon the forms 29-3Il before the recesses 33 on the sliding formers 32 engage the blank upon the side forms 3l. The plunger 34 is yieldingly held by means of springs 36 which act during the preliminary movement of the plunger to press the sides 3l of the blanks downwardly into a position opposite the recesses 33, and in the final movement of the plunger 34 the upper end of the plunger strikes the under side of the punch holder '25 and the blanks are then positively seated upon the forming die 28. The sliding formers 32 are operated by former actuating cams 38 upon former actuators 39 secured to and projecting from the under side of the punch holder 25 as shown in Fig. 7, the cams 38 being positioned to impart movement to the formers 32 after the sides 3'I of the blanks have been bent finger plate. The feed slide is operated as by downwardly to clear the formers as hereinbefore cribed. The formers are provided on opposides with guide ribs 48 to engage grooves in end of the guide block I4 and in a former die to be hereinafter described. The sliding form- 32 are spring pressed apart as by means of ings 42 located in recesses in the bottoms of ormers, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. lfter the blanks are stamped to shape and forced through the blanking die I5 the feed gers are moved forward by the operation of e lever 2| on to therforming die 28 where preliminary form is given to them in the nner hereinbefore described. Projecting from .feed slide |1 underneath the feed fingers 28 l extending through a raised part of the guide ck |4 are pusher rods 43 which contact with e edges of the partially formed blanks on the ming die 28 and push said blanks from said ming die on to forming fingers 44--45 proting from a finger supporting slide 46 mountupon a slide support 41. The forming ngers e arranged in pairs and there are two sets of d pairs projecting from the slide 46. The n- 44 is arranged to receive a single knuckle 48 one side of the link and the nger 45 is ar- 2 aged to receive double knuckles 49 on the oosite side of the link, it being understood it when these links are assembled to form the .t the cartridges form the pintles extending rough the links 48-49.

lhe former die 4| has a pair of preliminary 'ming cavities SII- 5| preferably arranged inmediate the ends of the les equally spaced therefrom a pair of iinal ,'mng cavities comprising recesses 52-53.

le pairs of cavities last mentioned are of the me general shape and perform the same funclns. A guide 54 is formed on opposite sides the pair of cavities 50-5I constituting the iishing section for the purpose of guiding the inks down into said cavities and imparting a rved form thereto to curl them around the lgers 44-45. This gives a second preliminary ape to each of the blanks by the action of a eliminary forming section 55 on a punch 56 pported and actuated by the same punch hold.- as is the punch or plunger 34. The shape each of the blanks is now nearly completed ld requires only a nal setting to complete the rm. This is elected by nishing sections 51 L the punch 56, said finishing sections being cated on opposite sides of the forming section i and operating alternately on blanks supported i the two sets of forming ngers 44-45, the iished forming being effected by one section of the punch on one of the sets 44-45 of Le forming fingers 'while the next preceding irm is being given on the other side on said rming ngers. That is, in a single downward .ovement of the'punch holder 25 a blank 26 cut by the punch 24 from the strip 23, a blank partially formed to shape by the punch 34 1 the forming die 28, another preliminary shape elected by action of the forming section 55 E the punch 56 on one of the pairs of ngers l and and a final and setting form producig the finished blank 83 (see Fig. 4) is given y one of the nishng sections 51 of the punch B on the other pair of said forming fingers I-45, it being noted that when this finishing peration is performed on one of the sets of arming fingers 44-45 the next preceding step i taking place on the other of said sets. The armer die 4| has a preliminary vforming section 8 cooperating with the forming section 55 of iently supported slide base 41 seated on springs 62 mounted on guide pins 63 for guiding the -movements of the base 41, as shown in Fig. 6

die and on opposite of the drawings, said pins projecting upwardly from the die holder 8. Reciprocating sliding movement is imparted to the slide 46 by means of a stud 64 projecting from the side of the slide with a slide reciprocating rod 65 pivotally attached to said stud at one end and its opposite end bearing a. roller located in a cam groove in a slide reciprocating cam 66, the rod having a slot through which a pin 61 from the cam 66 projects in a manner common to connections of this type. The cam 66 is secured to a shaft 68 mounted'in a bearing 68 projecting upwardly from the die holder 8 and having a gear 18 meshing with a pinion 1| secured to the cam shaft 9, as shown in Fig. l f the drawings, the gears and pinions being timed to impart proper reciprocating movement to the slide, that is, to locate the forming fingers in their extreme positions for operation of' the punches upon the blanks on the ngers when such punches descend for such operation. Y

The forming fingers with the blanks partially formed thereon are nally located in the depressions in the die 4| by means of plungers 12 extending from within sockets 13 projecting downwardly from the punch holder 25, as shown in Figs. 4 and l5 of the drawings. These plungers are spring seated within the sockets and as the punch holder moves down the ends of the plungers strike the upper surface of the slide supporting base 46 and push it downward against the upper side of the die holder 8 and against the tension of the springs 62, there being four of the plungers, two located in each end of the slide supporting base 46, the four springs against which the plungers are seated being strong enough to resist the tension of the two springs 62 .and therefore sufficient to compress the` latter. This permits continuation of downward movement of the punch 56 to finish its operation after the iingers with the blanks thereon are seated in the recesses in the die 4|.

After the blanks are finally formed upon the fingers as hereinbefore described they are ejected from said fingers by means of ejectors 14 slidably mounted in the supporting slide 46 and operating against the blanks intermediate their ends to push them olf from the pins and into chutes 15 along which they are moved by contact with the succeeding blanks to a point of discharge downwardly through the die holder 8, when this manner of discharge is employed as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. A forked finger 16 projects upwardly from each slide in position to receive between the branches ejector actuating pins 11 extending toward each other from the ends of ejector actuating arms 18 secured to and projecting downwardly from an ejector actuating shaft 18 mounted in bearings on the upper ends of standards projecting upwardly from the die holder 8 at opposite ends of the slide base 41, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. A rocking motion is imparted to the shaft by means of a shaft actuating arm 8| extending downwardly from the shaft and having a roller at its free end engaged in a groove in an ejector operating cam 82 supported on the main shaft 8, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the cam being shaped to impart an ejecting movement to the electors immediately following the completion of the formation of the blanks. As shown in Fig. the forked fingers 16 on the two electors are alternately engaged with an actuator pin 11 as the supporting slide 46 is moved from side to side.

From the foregoing description embodying a progressive explanation of the operation it will be seen on referring to Fig. 9 that the blanks 26 successively cut from the blank strip 23 are moved` from the position a by operation of thefeeding fingers 20 into the position b where they are given a preliminary form by means of the punch 34 `acting-in connection with the forming die 28. From the position b the partially formed blanks are moved by the pusher rods 43 into position c and on to a pair of forming ngers 44-45. In this position the forming punch 56 acting in connectinnwith the die 4| imparts a further form to the blanks approximating the finished form. From position c the pins with the blanks thereon are moved to one of the positions d at one side of the position c where the final formation of the blanks takes place and from which they are ejected as hereinbefore described, it 'being noted that the operations at the two positions d take place alternately, that is, the succeeding blanks are moved alternately first from the position c to one position d and then to the other position d.

It will be noted that as shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 8 the plungers 12 in their raised positions are spaced from the slide support 4l so that downward movement of the punch 56 will encounter the blanks on the fingers 45 before downward movement of the slide support 4l begins. This will cause the opposite edges of the blank to contact the guides. 54 and be certainly curled under the forming fingers before downward movement of such ngers begins.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodimentA thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by4 other means and applied to uses other than those above set out. y

I claim:

l. A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from-a strip of material and forcing the blank through the die, a feed member movable underneath thedie to move blanks therefrom, a preliminary forming die onto which the blanks are moved by the feed members, means for partially forming the blank on said preliminary forming die. feeding means movably mounted underneath said feed members for removing the partially formed blank from said forming die, and means for completing the formation of said blank.

2. A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from a strip of material passed in one direction across said die and forcing the blank through the die, feed fingers movable in a transverse direction underneath the die to move the blank in said transverse direction and laterally of the blank from underneath the die, a preliminary forming die nto which the blank is moved by said ngers,

means for partially forming the blank on said preliminary forming die, feeding means movably mounted underneath said feed fingers for removing the partially formed blank from said forming die, and means for completing the formation of the blank.

3. A link making dieing machine including dieing means to shape a link blank with a pair of separated knuckle portions at one end yand a single knuckle portion at the opposite end and of a width substantially that of the space between the double knuckle portions and to force the blank through the die, feed fingers movable underneath the die to move the blank therefrom, a preliminary forming die onto which the blank is moved by said fingers, means for partially forming the blank on said preliminary forming die, means for removing the partially formed blank from said forming die, and means for completing the formation of the blank.

4. A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from a strip of material passed across said die and forcing the blank through the die, feed fingers movable underneath the die to move the blank therefrom, a preliminary forming die having curved forming surfaces on its top and curved forming surfaces on its side, means for forming the blank around said curved forming surfaces, means for removing the partially formed blank from said die, and means for completing the formation of the blank.

5. A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from a strip of material and forcing the blank through the die, feed fingers movable underneath the die to move the blank therefrom, a preliminary forming die onto which the blank is moved by said fingers, said die having curved forming surfaces on its upper end and side forming surfaces on opposite sides thereof, means for forming the blank around the surfaces on the upper end of the die, means for forming the blank around the side curved surfaces, means for removing the partially formed blank from said forming die, and means for completing the formation of said blank.

6.v A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from a strip of material and forcing the blank through the die, feed fingers movable underneath the die to move the blank therefrom, av preliminary forming die onto which the blank is moved by said fingers, said forming die having curved forming surfaces on opposite sides near the upper end thereof and recesses underneath said curved forming surfaces to receive opposite edges of the blank, means for forcing a blank down onto said die, means for forming the .blank around said curved forming surfaces and for crowding its edges into said recses, means for removing the partially formed blank from said die, and means for completing the formation of the blank.

7. A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from a -strip of material and forcing the blank through the die, feed fingers movable underneath the die to move the blank therefrom, a preliminary forming die onto which the blank is moved by said fingers, said die having curved forming surfaces on its upper end and curved forming surfaces on opposite sides adjacent the end forming surfaces, guide recesses underneath the side forming surfaces, a punch to force the blank down into said recesses and shape the blank on said end forming surfaces, sliding' formers movable into contact with the blank on said side forming surfaces, means for removing the blank from said die, and means forcompleting the formation of the blank.

8. A link making dleing machine vincluding a forming die having curved forming surfaces on its upper end and side forming surfaces on opposite sides adjacent the end forming surfaces, said die having recesses adjacent the side forming surfaces, a punch to force the blank onto the die and impart form thereto on said end forming surfaces and to force opposite edges of the blank into said recesses to partially curve the same around the yside forming surfaces, and sliding formers movable into engagement with opposite sides of the blank on said side forming surfaces.

9. A link making dieing machine including a forming die having vend forming surfaces on its upper end and side forming surfaces adjacent the end forming surfaces and onopposite sides of the die, a punchv holder, a. punch secured to said holder and movable into contact with said end forming surfaces to shape a blank thereon, sliding formers tov engage the blank and form it on said side forming surfaces, and former actuating cams supported on said punch holder and engageable with said sliding formera to move the latter into engagement with the blank on said side forming surfaces.

l). A link making dieing machine including dieing means'for separating a fiat blank from a strip of material moved across the die and forcing the blank through the die, va, reciprocatingly mounted feed slide, a feed finger extending from said slide underneath said die to engage the edge of the fiat blank and remove it from underneath4 said die,`a preliminary forming die onto which the blank is moved by said fingers, means for partially forming a blank on said die, and av pusher.rod projecting from said feed slide underneath said finger and beyond the end thereof to engage a partially formed blank at va formed portion thereof and remove it from said preliminary forming die.

ll. A link making dieing machine including dieing means for separating a blank from a strip of material moved across said die and forcing the blank through the die, means for moving said blank from underneath said die, a preliminary forming die onto which said blank is moved, said die having formers on its upper end and recesses below said formers, a punch holder movable to and from said die, and a punch spring seated cn said punch holder and movable to engage a blank and force its opposite edges into said recesses by spring resistance and then to form the blank on said formers by contact with said punch holder.

12. A link making dieing machine including a pair of forming fingers to receive the knuckle portions of a blank, a die having a pair of recesses to cooperate with said lingers in the formation of the blank, a finger supporting member from which said fingers project, springs upon which said member is seated, a fixed member to receive said :linger supporting member after compression of said springs, and a punch to engage a blank on said ngers to force the blank and ngers toward said recesses against the tension of said springs and into engagement with said fixed member to form the blank around said I fingers in said recesses.

pairs of recesses to cooperate with said ngers in the formation of a blank. a finger supporting member from which'said lingers project, .saidr member being slidably mounted to locate said fingers over different pairs of said recesses, a slide base upon which said finger supporting member is mounted, a spring to support said base, means for imparting sliding movement to said finger supporting member, and a punch to engage a blank-on said fingers to force the blank and lingers toward said recesses against the tension of said spring and into engagement with a fixed member to form the blank around the fingers in said recesses.

- 14. A link making dieing machine including a plurality of pairs of forming fingers each to receive the knuckle portions of blanks successively deposited thereon, a die having a of ypreliminary forming cavities and pairs of finishing rforming recesses located on opposite sides of said cavities to cooperate with said fingersv in the formation of said blanks thereon, a finger supporting slide from which said fingers project,

means for imparting reciprocating slidingv movement to said slide to locate said pairs of fingers w each alternately over said preliminary forming cavities and then over a pair of finishing forming recesses, and means for imparting vertical movement to said slide to press the fingers and blanks thereon into said cavities and recesses.

15. A link making dieing machine including a pair of forming fingers to receive the knuckle portions of a blank deposited thereon, a. die having a pair of recesses to cooperate with said fingers in the formation of a blank, a fingersupporting member fromv which said fingers project, a spring comprising a support for said finger supporting member, a punch to engage a blank on said fingers and force it down intov said vrecess against the tension of said spring, an ejector slidably mounted on said supporting member to engage the edge of a blank betweenv said fingers, and means'for operating said ejector.

16. A link making dieing machine including a preliminary forming die, means for preliminarily forming a blank on said die, a pair of forming ,fingers located opposite said preliminary forming die, means for moving the partially formed blank from said preliminary forming die onto said fingers, a nger support from which said lingers project, means for resiliently seatingv said finger support, a die having recesses to receive said ngers and a blank thereon, and a punch to engage said ngers and blank to force them into said recesses to form said blank, and means for operating said punch.

1'7. A link making dieing machine including a preliminary forming die, means for preliminarily forming a blank on said die, a plurality of pairs of forming fingers located opposite said preliminary forming die, means for moving a partially l formed blank from said preliminary forming die onto said fingers, a slidably mounted nger support from which said pairs of fingers project, means for sliding said support to locate each pair of lingers alternately opposite said preliminary forming die, a die having a set of preliminary forming cavities and a pair of finishing recesses located on opposite sides of said forming cavities, said pairs of forming fingers being each located alternately over said preliminary forming cavities and then over said finishing recesses by the sliding movement of said linger support, a resiliently mounted base upon which said sliding support is located, and a punch vertically movable to engage each pair of fingers to force them with blanks thereon into said cavities and recesses.

18. A link making dieing machine including a vblanking die across which a strip of material is moved, means for cutting and forcing a blank from said strip through said die, a feed slide, a feed finger projecting from said slide underneath said die to force a blank therefrom, a preliminary forming die upon which said blank is moved by said finger, a punch to cooperate with and partially form a blank on said forming die, a plurality of pairs of forming fingers, a pusher rod secured to said feed slide and extending to engage a blank on said forming die and push it onto said forming ngers, a die having a set of preliminary forming cavities and a pair of finishing recesses located one pair on each side of said forming cavities, a slide from which said pairs of forming fingers extend to locate said Pairs each alternately over said forming cavities and finishing recesses, means for operating said slide, al

support upon which said slide is mounted, re-v silient means upon which said support is seated, and a punch having recesses-to engage said fingers and blanks thereon to cooperate with said fingers and said die in the formation of the blanks thereon and therein.

19. A link making dieing machine including dieing means to shape a link blank with a pair of separated knuckle portions at one end, a single knuckle portion at the opposite end and a recess between said knuckle portions at opposite ends of the blank, movably mounted feed fingers for removing the blank from said dieing means, a preliminary forming die on to which said blank is moved by said fingers, said die having curved forming surfaces on its top, curved forming surfaces on its side and a recess between said top curved surfaces, a punch having a projection to form said recess in the blank, means for forming the blank around said curved forming surfaces,

means for removing the partially formed blank from said die, and means for completing the formation of the blank.

20. A link making dieing machine including a dieing means for separating a blank from a strip of material moved across said die, means for removing said blank from said die, a preliminary forming die on to which said blank is moved, said die having formers on its upper end and recesses below said formers, a punch holder movable to and from said die, and a punch spring seated on said punch holder and movable to engage a blank and force its opposite edges into said recesses by spring resistance and then to form the blank on said formers by contact with said punch holder.

21. A link making dieing machine including a pair of forming fingers to receive the knuckle portions of a blank, a die having a pair of recesses to cooperate with said fingers in the formation of the blank, a movably mounted finger supporting member from which said fingers project, and a punch to engage a blank on said ngers to force the blank and fingers into said recesses to curl the ends of the blank around said forming ngers.

22. A link making dieing machine including a pair of' forming fingers to receive opposite ends of a blank, a die having a plurality of pairs of recesses to cooperate with said fingers in the formation of the blank, a finger supporting member from which said fingers project, means for effecting relative movement between said die and finger supporting member to locate said fingers over different pairs of recesses, and a punch to engage a blank on said fingers to force the blank and flnformation of a blank, a finger supporting member l from which said fingers project, a base upon which said finger supporting member is mounted, a spring to support said base, means for effecting relative movement between said die and said finger supporting member to locate said fingers over different pairs of recesses, and a punch to engagel a blank on the fingers to force the blank and iingers toward said recesses against the tension of said spring and into engagement with a fixed member to form the blank around the fingers in said recesses.

24. A link making dieing machineincluding a plurality of pairs of forming fingers/f each to receive the end portions of blanks successively deposited thereon, a die having a pair of forming cavities to co-operate with said fingers'inthe formation of' a blank thereon, a laterally and vertically lmovable finger supporting member from which said fingers project, means for imparting lateral movement to said member to alternately locate each pair oi fingers over said cavities, and a punch vertically movable to engage blanks upon said fingers and force them into said cavities to form the blank around the fingers in said cavities.

25. A link making dieing machine including a plurality of pairs of forming fingers each to receive opposite end portions of blanks successively deposited thereon, a die having a pair of preliminary formin'g cavities and a pair of finishing forming recesses located at one side of said cavities to co-operate with said fingers in the formation of blanks thereon, a finger supporting slide from which saidV fingers project, means for imparting reciprocating sliding movement to said slide to locate said pairs of fingers each alternately over said preliminary forming cavities and then over said finishing forming recesses, and means for imparting vertical movement to said slide to press the fingers and blanks thereon into said cavities and recesses.

A26. A link making dieing machine including a preliminary forming die, means for preliminarily forming a blank on said die, a pair of forming fingers located opposite said preliminary forming die, means for moving the partially formed blank from said preliminary forming die on to said fingers, a finger support from which said fingers project, means for resiliently seating said finger support, a die having recesses to receive said fingers and blanks thereon, a punch to engage said fingers and blanks to force them into said recesses to form said blanks, means for operating said punch, and a fixed member to receive said finger support and lxedly seat it to finally form the blanks around said fingers.

27. A link making dieing machine including a preliminary forming die, means for preliminarily forming a blank on said die, a plurality of pairs of forming fingers located opposite said preliminary forming die, means for moving a partially formed blank from said preliminary forming die on to.

said fingers, a slidably mounted finger support from which said pairs of fingers project, means for sliding said support to locate each pair of fingers alternately opposite said preliminary forming die, a die having a set of forming cavities over which said pairs oi' ngers are alternately placed, a base upon which said sliding support is located. and a punch vertically movable to engage each pair of ilngers to force them with blanks thereon into said cavities. l

28. A link making Vdieing machine including a i preliminary forming die, means for preliminarily forming a blank on said die, a plurality oi pairs of forming ngers located opposite said preliminary forming die, means for moving a partially formed blank from said preliminary forming die on to said ngers, a slidably mounted nger support from which said pairs of fingers project.

means for sliding said support to locate each pair oi fingers alternately opposite said preliminary forming die, a die having a set o! forming cavities, said pairs of forming fingers being each located alternately over said forming cavities, a resiliently mounted base upon which said sliding support is located, and a punch vertically movable to engage each pair of fingers to force them with blanks thereon into said cavities and then 0 against a fixed support to nish the formation of said blank. l

confus r'. SHERMAN. 

